If you send money in the same currency from one Wise account to another, there is no fee to convert the amount, but Wise charges a small fee to make the transfer. Otherwise, a conversion fee will apply. Kristo Kaarmann, CEO and co-founder of Wise, announced on social media that sending money from India was one of the most requested features, and they listened. Data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows that remittances under the liberalized remittance system (LRS) have increased over the years. Under the LRS, Indian residents are allowed to freely send remittances of up to $250,000 per fiscal year – which begins in April and ends in March of the following year. It takes anywhere from a few seconds to five business days to receive money via a Wise transfer, depending on the currency sent. The company claims that half of its transfers arrive within 24 hours. Wise (formerly TransferWise), a London-based fintech company, announced its entry into India on June 1, 2021. Smart users in India could now send money abroad to 44 countries around the world, including the UK, US, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE and Eurozone countries. It`s also worth noting that Wise is the cheapest option for money transfers. So if cost is an issue, Remitly may be a better choice. However, some users might find that a higher commission is an interesting trade-off for a potentially quick Wise transaction. Another advantage: Wise stands out from some of its competitors by not using exchange rates to boost profits.
The company prides itself on avoiding “unfair” bank exchange rates. “Indian Rupee Remittances (INRs) were first made available in 2013, and the company recently allowed Google Pay users in the US to send INRs to Google Pay users in India,” the press release added. RBI data shows that remittances under the liberalized remittance system (LRS) have increased over the years to a total of $18.75 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2020, with travel and tuition abroad accounting for more than 60 percent of remittances during that period. Wise account debit card and data features are not available for Indian users. British payment company Wise has expanded its presence in India with the launch of a currency exchange service in the country. This free account allows you to send money in a number of currencies. Wise is a publicly traded company whose shares are held by shareholders. The company`s shares began trading on the London Stock Exchange in July 2021. To calculate the cost of exchanging money from one currency to another, Wise relies on what is known as the mid-market exchange rate, also known as the “real” exchange rate. OFX and Wise allow someone to send money to people in over 175 countries with a simple bank transfer.
Both charge a transfer fee. John Egan is a freelance writer, editor, and content marketing strategist based in Austin, Texas. His work has been published by Experian, CreditCards.com, Bankrate, SHRM.org, National Real Estate Investor, U.S. News & World Report, Urban Land Magazine and other media outlets. John holds a bachelor`s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas and a master`s degree in communications from Southern New Hampshire University. Wise said in a statement: “It is expensive to send money from India internationally with banks, Western unions and other service providers. Because they give you a bad exchange rate with high transaction fees. Now you can use Wise to send money from India up to 3.9 times cheaper than major banks. Banks are the dominant players in the Indian ecosystem. And Wise has uniquely positioned itself as a challenger to traditional banks with its offer of favorable exchange rates and transparent fees.
Wise has partnered with RBL Bank to enable Indian residents to send money internationally. Wise uses HTTPS encryption and a two-step login process to protect data. The company says it will never misuse or sell customer data. However, the app`s App Store page states that certain types of data may be collected and linked to your identity, such as: Contact information, financial information, and search history. To use the free Wise app for an iPhone or iPad, your device must be running iOS 14.0 or later. It is available in 15 languages. The free Wise app is also available for Android devices. The app`s Google Play page doesn`t list the app`s operating specifications or the number of languages supported by the app.
According to Wise, users can now send INRs through their Android or iOS app or on the web at the real exchange rate with “lower and transparent” fees. Data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows that India`s foreign remittances amounted to around $18.75 billion in the 2019-2020 financial year. More than 60% of them were classified as travel and payment for study abroad. Once you sign up for an account, Wise may need to verify your identity, typically by uploading a photo of your photo ID and proof of your address. This step usually takes two business days. The need to verify your identity depends on where you`re sending money from and how much money you`re sending. Wise will not verify your identification documents until you initiate your first transfer. Wise, formerly known as TransferWise, will donate all fees for INR referrals for Covid-19 relief efforts in India by July 31. Wise comes with many peculiarities, and it does not increase its exchange rates. Although money can be sent from India to more than 100 countries, its services can have a significant cost as higher remittance fees are charged, including additional fees if the recipient is not in the United States, than some of its competitors.
Its other drawback: there is no option to deliver money to a home or business. Remitly allows cash to be delivered to a home or business, while Wise does not. When banks buy currency, they can pay a so-called “buy rate.” And when they sell currency, they can pay a so-called “sell rate.” The average market price divides the difference between the buying and selling prices. Bottom Line: Buy and sell prices include a premium that consumes more money from a sender and recipient than the average market price. Wise`s fee is a percentage of the amount sent. In the same month, Wise Temenos joined MarketPlace with the aim of bringing low-cost international remittances to banks around the world. You can send money from India. to another country only by bank transfer.
Kristo Käärmann, CEO and co-founder of Wise, was quoted by Mint as saying, “Bringing Wise to India is a huge step forward in our mission to build borderless money instantly, conveniently, seamlessly and ultimately for free.” Two tests of Wise`s customer support were disappointing. Last month, the London-based company partnered with Google Pay to allow Google Pay users in the US to send money to users in India and Singapore. Wise lists over 150 countries where you can send money from India via bank transfer. You can`t send money to someone in India if the recipient is also in the same country. Wise has partnered with RBL Bank, which allows Indians to send money abroad through the liberalized remittance transfer program (LRS). With the launch, Indians will be able to send money from the country to 44 countries around the world, including the UK, US, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE and eurozone countries, according to a press release from the company.